The Iceman Returneth

Bulls` Gervin Goes Home To San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO — There`s a chill running through this old Western town 150 miles from the Mexican border.

It`s a Texas-sized spine-tingler, the kind that gives rise to goose bumps and the flush of emotion.

``The Iceman`` is coming home.

What George Gervin did here in 12 years made his name synonomous with professional basketball. The National Basketball Association`s eighth all-time leading scorer became a part of San Antonio, like the Alamo and the stylish Riverwalk promenade. And when he was traded to the Bulls on Oct. 24 for David Greenwood, the legions of `Ice` fans turned their backs on the Spurs. San Antonio is averaging only 7,270 spectators a game, the lowest in the NBA.

``The fans still haven`t forgiven Drossos (Spurs` owner Angelo Drossos) for letting Gervin go,`` said KMOL-TV sports producer Paul Johnson Thursday. ``Just look at the attendance. They feel there`s no reason to watch them play. The only reason they are going to be there tomorrow is to see him.``

They came out to the airport Thursday to welcome him home. There was a television crew on hand and talk all around that ``Ice was back home.`` San Antonio can see Gervin in action against the Spurs Friday night, when he and the Bulls attempt to stop their five-game losing streak.

``It`s going to be a warm feeling going back out there,`` Gervin said. ``I had so many years here and they all seemed to be good. I was fortunate enough to be in one place for so long. It`s like I`m still supposed to be here.

``People always appreciated me just like I appreciated them. They showed their gratitude. People still call me. I developed a certain feeling with a great number of people here.``

One of those people was not Spurs` coach Cotton Fitzsimmons. Their differences were the reason Gervin was traded to the Bulls.

``Cotton wanted everything to be done his way,`` Gervin said. ``You can`t go through life like that. Otherwise, you turn into a rock. Just because you pay me, that doesn`t mean you can talk to me any way you want. Cotton is the kind of guy who says, `It`s my way or no way.` He has never been successful and probably never will.``

Gervin`s teammate with the Spurs and the Bulls, Gene Banks, got so upset at the mention of Fitzsimmons` name that he ripped apart an empty soda pop can with his teeth.

``I`ve got a cage of boll weevils, and boll weevils eat `Cotton,`

`` Banks said. ``I had it imported all the way from South Carolina. I`ve got this cage and I`m going to carry it around all during practice Friday. If he makes us mad, I`m going to let them go.``

Fitzsimmons couldn`t motivate Gervin last season, but now his very presence will fire up Ice against him.

``There`s an old saying that, `The world is round, and what goes around comes around,` `` Gervin said. ``His time will come, man. Being evil won`t get you nowhere these days.

``Gene Banks, John Paxson, Dave Corzine, myself, we all contributed so much to the success of this franchise. We all gave ourselves to San Antonio. We didn`t just play basketball, we did things in the community, touching people when they needed it. What we would do, it was a caring for one another.``

Corzine said he wouldn`t be surprised if Gervin walked into the visitors` locker room Friday night, put on his uniform, scored 50 points, took off his uniform and calmly walked out into the night.

``He is so cool, he never gets flustered,`` Corzine said, ``whether he`s having a good night or a bad night. He doesn`t try to stick it in your face. What he does, it`s like an art. Michael Jordan made a big splash in Chicago. Ice is a part of this town.``

Gervin got his ``Iceman`` nickname from a guard named Roland ``Fatty`` Taylor when he and Gervin teamed up on the Virginia Squires in the old American Basketball Association. Taylor, who was as feisty as Gervin is placid, always marveled that his backcourt mate was so cool, in fact, as cool as ``the Iceman.``